Solar Washingtonhttp://solarwa.org
en-USProject of the Month - March 2015http://solarwa.org/project-month-march-2015
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<a href="http://www.kitsaphabitat.org/" target="_blank"><img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/4516da_dcc4d61fe15543c995c47d201e48a645_png_srz_p_204_85_75_22_0_50_1_20_0.png" style="width: 135px; margin: 7px; float: left; height: 56px;" /></a>The first question often asked about <a href="http://www.kitsaphabitat.org/" target="_blank">Habitat for Humanity Kitsap County's</a> (HFHKC) Harris Court project is “Solar Electric on low income family homes … really?” The answer is, “Yes, thanks to advances in photovoltaic technology, solar electric power makes great sense for low income family homes.” This edition of <em>Project of the Month</em> gives a broad picture of HFHKC's solar neighborhood at Harris Court in Port Orchard. </div>
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<img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/IMG_9795(1).jpg" style="width: 245px; height: 157px; margin: 7px; float: right;" />Habitat for Humanity in Kitsap County began over 22 years ago and has a long term and fiscally responsible approach to building small, decent, affordable, and “long term sustainable” energy efficient homes. HFHKC has built individual homes on single lots and full neighborhoods in Kitsap County. The first homes that included solar power were complete in 2011. Harris Court will be HFHKC's 4th neighborhood and the largest project completed in which all of the homes have solar panels on the roof. Once complete, it will be largest single family home solar neighborhood in Washington State. Says HFHKC's Director Daryl Daugs, "Habitat for Humanity has a long history of being on the leading edge of building homes that are green and sustainable. Our goal is to move families out of substandard housing into owning a home that is affordable for the long term. Moving into solar PV is a natural progression."</div>
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<strong>General Overview:</strong></div>
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Land purchased (4.08 acres) in July of 2008</li>
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Green Build “Eco-Charrette” Process and Report in December of 2008</li>
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Land clearing and infrastructure development began in 2010.</li>
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Infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, utilities) complete in August 2013</li>
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Final Plat Submittal October 2013 - 32 lots</li>
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Groundbreaking on the first two homes in November 2013</li>
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<strong>Sustainable/Environmental Highlights:</strong></div>
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Sustainable Productive Landscape – All of the landscape on the community held property will be fruit bearing. 68 fruit trees and community gardens.</li>
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Efficiency – HFHKC's homes are pre-designed with long term (Energy Star) sustainability.</li>
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Heat – HFHKC has been utilizing a custom designed and “super-efficient” radiant heating system for 5 years.</li>
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Solar Electric – Six unique floor plans have been pre-designed roof angle and orientation for 2.25 KW photovoltaic power systems.</li>
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<img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/IMG_6595(1).jpg" style="width: 225px; height: 150px; float: left; margin: 7px;" />Adds Daugs, "Collaborating with Sunergy Systems, itek Energy, Bluefrog Solar, and Sunmodo has been incredible. It is essential that our families are "hands on" with every aspect of building their home ... including solar PV. Our partners have helped us gain this expertise and we truly appreciate it."</div>
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Habitat for Humanity is a self-help housing program. HFH works side by side with very low income families (30-60% of the median income) to help them build decent and affordable homes. When the home is finished, HFH provides the families with a zero interest mortgage in which their housing costs do not exceed 30% of their monthly income.</div>
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<em>Photos by Adam Simmons.</em></div>
</div></div></div>Fri, 27 Feb 2015 05:57:29 +0000patrick1348 at http://solarwa.orghttp://solarwa.org/project-month-march-2015#commentsSolar Washington March 2015 General Meeting http://solarwa.org/solar-washington-march-2015-general-meeting-0
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Join Solar Washington on Wednesday, March 4 from 6-8pm in the Community Hall at the <a href="http://www.phinneycenter.org/about/directions.html" target="_blank">Phinney Community Center</a> in Seattle for our bi-monthly public General Meeting where industry professionals and the general public discuss current solar related policies, business practices, installation techniques, current equipment and technologies and more. Free and open to the public. $5 donation from non Solar Washington members greatly appreciated.</div>
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Featured at the March 4 General Meeting:</h4>
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An <strong>update on current solar related leglisation and policies</strong> in Olympia with Jeremy Smithson of Puget Sound Solar and President of <a href="http://www.solarinstallersofwa.org/" target="_blank">Solar Installers of Washington</a>.</div>
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A presentation on <strong>rules for homeowners associations (HOAs) as they relate to solar installations</strong> in their communities presented by Kathleen Kapla, attorney with Keyes Fox &amp; Wiedman LLP whose firm has been been engaged with NW SEED and other stakeholders on the Northwest Solar Communities effort in Oregon and Washington. <a href="http://nwsolarcommunities.org/priorities/planning/" target="_blank">Click to read the discussion paper addressing solar and HOAs</a>.</div>
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Click to view <a href="http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=64.38.055" target="_blank">RCW 64.38.055</a> documents concerning homeowners' associations and solar panels. </div>
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<p>Shedding the Light on Solar: <strong>Homeowners talk about what solar has done for them</strong> and how it has affected their utility bill, among other things.</p>
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<p><em>Presentations subject to change. </em></p>
<p>If you are unable to be at the meeting in person, you can listen in remotely. Simply follow these instructions:<br />
Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone: <a href="https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/682811693">https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/682811693</a><br />
+1 (224) 501-3412; Access Code: 682-811-693</p>
<p><em>This is a free event, but a $5 suggested donation from non Solar Washington Members to help us cover the costs of providing this event would be greatly appreciated.</em></p>
<!--break--></div></div></div>Mon, 16 Feb 2015 04:09:59 +0000patrick1334 at http://solarwa.orghttp://solarwa.org/solar-washington-march-2015-general-meeting-0#commentsSolar Foundation Releases 2014 Solar Jobs Numbershttp://solarwa.org/solar-foundation-releases-2014-solar-jobs-numbers
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<img alt="" src="/sites/default/files/images/solar_logo.png" style="width: 175px; height: 71px; margin: 10px; float: left;" />The Solar Foundation has released its 2014 jobs figures which are viewable on its <a href="http://pre.thesolarfoundation.org/solarstates/" target="_blank">website.</a> The TSF’s State Solar Jobs Map provides top-level employment figures and policy information for all fifty states and the District of Columbia. The map was designed to be an easy-to-use resource for the public and solar energy stakeholders. The state figures are updated annually using a dual-methodology based on thousands of data points from the most recent National Solar Jobs Census, the Solar Energy Industries Association’s National Solar Database, and other sources. </div>
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Washington State saw an increase in solar workers from 2000 in 2013 to 2400 in 2014. <a href="http://pre.thesolarfoundation.org/solarstates#wa" target="_blank">Click to view a direct overview of Washington State solar statistics</a>.</div>
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An independent nonprofit founded in 1977 and based in Washington, DC, The <a href="http://www.thesolarfoundation.org/" target="_blank">Solar Foundation</a>'s mission is to increase understanding of solar energy through strategic research that educates the public and transforms markets.</div>
<!--break--></div></div></div>Sat, 14 Feb 2015 05:59:52 +0000patrick1332 at http://solarwa.orghttp://solarwa.org/solar-foundation-releases-2014-solar-jobs-numbers#commentsResults of Solar Washington Survey Releasedhttp://solarwa.org/results-solar-washington-survey-released
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In 2014 Solar Washington collected data from solar installers and manufacturers directly involved in the solar industry in Washington State in order to gain insight into the solar industry's collective impact upon the state economy. Based on data collected reflecting business activity in 2013, the results show that for every one dollar of the Washington State solar incentive redirected to PV system owners, the state sees $2.46 injected back into the local economy. In the case of 2013 installations, $48.2M will be injected in to the economy as a result of the $19.6M that the state will pay out in solar incentives. “Based on the data we’ve gathered, solar incentives in Washington State pay for themselves many times over and are a boon to the state economy," said David Nicol, Board President of Solar Washington.</div>
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Here’s how the $48M breaks out as injections into the Washington local economy: </div>
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$25.4 million in payroll</li>
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$21.5 million in equipment purchases from in-state suppliers and vendors</li>
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$1.3 million in tax revenues to state and local governments (B&amp;O, Sales, Business Permits)</li>
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The Washington state solar incentive program (known as the Washington State Cost Recovery Incentive Payment Program) was created in 2006, and last year enabled utilities to redirect $2.8 million (1) in taxes as incentives to homeowners and small businesses that installed new solar systems. Over the seven years that these 2013 installations will collect incentives, utilities will redirect a total of $19.6M to them in the form of incentive payments. </div>
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In all likelihood, these numbers under-represent the impact of the solar industry in Washington state. The Solar Washington survey represents 55 companies and 786 jobs. However, the Solar Foundation conducted a census of solar jobs in Washington State and concluded that in 2013 there were 102 solar companies representing 2,000 jobs involved in the manufacturing, installation and sales of solar in Washington State. (2) Given the larger numbers of companies and jobs represented by the Solar Foundation’s Solar Census, the impact of the solar industry in Washington could be twice as large as demonstrated by the Solar Washington survey. </div>
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1. 4,506 kW X $0.54/kWh x 1,000 kWh/kW = $2,433,240; 2,592 kW x $0.15/kWh x 1,000 kWh/kW = $388,800</div>
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Sum of the instate and out of state incentive for one year of production installed in 2013 is: $2,822,040</div>
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2. 2013 Solar Census by The Solar Foundation, available at: <a href="http://thesolarfoundation.org/" target="_blank">http://thesolarfoundation.org </a></div>
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</div></div></div>Tue, 13 Jan 2015 08:37:26 +0000patrick1310 at http://solarwa.orghttp://solarwa.org/results-solar-washington-survey-released#comments